1991 Philippine Basketball League season

1991 PBL season February 9 - July 24, 1991 8 + 1 Islands TV-13 Stevenson Solomon Johnny Abarrientos Maharlika Cup 1991 PBL Maharlika Cup Crispa 400 Mama's Love Challenge Cup 1991 PBL Challenge Cup Triple-V Foodmasters Crispa 400 1990 1991-92 The 1991 season of the Philippine Basketball League (PBL). Occurrences The league decided to have only two conferences and the next season will start later in the year to give way for the UAAP and NCAA games. A PBL All-Star game was held with the South All-Stars, coach by Roberto Manalili, swept their series against the North All-Stars of coach William Adornado. Ogie Narvasa was the new PBL Commissioner starting the second conference of the season called Challenge Cup. New teams Two new teams join the league, they are the Triple-V Saisaki Restaurant Group and RC Cola. Burger City takes a conference-leave while Philips Sardines transfer its franchise to A&W Rootbears. Maharlika Cup Qualified for semifinals Team Standings Win Loss PCT Crispa 400 9 5 .642 Triple-V Foodmasters 9 5 .642 Mama's Love 8 6 .571 Sta. Lucia Realtors 7 7 .500 A & W Rootbears 7 7 .500 Magnolia Ice Cream 6 8 .429 Swift Hotdogs 6 8 .429 RC Cola 4 10 .285 The season opens on February 9. After the double-round eliminations, Magnolia defeated Swift, 80–76, in a playoff game on March 27 for the sixth and last semifinals berth.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Na8mAAAAIBAJ&sjid=CAsEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4922%2C4842795 Long climb to semifinals ends for Magnolia Manila Standard Crispa 400 and Cebu's Mama's Love, in their second finals appearance since 1985, played in the championship. The Crispa 400s wins their 2nd PBL title in a 3–1 series victory. After losing Game One, 78–91, the 400s came back to take the next three games and clinch the crown. In a riotous second game which Crispa won, 99–95, the Powder Makers rallied from 21 points down to within two points with 24 seconds left but a bad call from the referee prompted fans from Cebu-based squad to react furiously and started pelting the court and in the process halting play for nearly 20 minutes. Crispa coach William "Bogs" Adornado, who took over the coaching position from Fortunato "Atoy" Co at the start of the season, won his first title as a mentor. Among his players are Johnny Abarrientos, Victor Pablo, Felix Duhig, Saturnino Garrido, Alejandro Lim, Kevin Ramas, Maximo Delantes, Roberto Jabar, Gil Lumberio, Victor Villarias and Edward Joseph Feihl. Mama's Love's Stevenson Solomon emerged as the league's leading rebounder and was adjudged Most Valuable Player. TeamGame 1 (April 20)Game 2 (April 22)Game 3 (April 24)Game 4 (April 27)WinsCrispa 400 78 99 92 109 3Mama's Love 91 95 81 94 1VenueNASNASNASNAS Challenge Cup Qualified for finals # Semifinal StandingsCumulativeSF Semifinal recordWLPCTGBWL1 Crispa 400 16 6 .727 –- 3 32 Triple-V Foodmasters 15 7 .681 1 4 23 Sta.Lucia Realtors 15 7 .681 1 4 24 Swift Hotdogs 9 13 .410 7 1 5 The import-laced tournament reeled off on May 18 at the Loyola Center in Katipunan Avenue, Quezon City, under new PBL Commissioner Atty. Gregorio "Ogie" Narvasa. The respective teams' imports were Mark Anthony Tillmon of Crispa 400s, who played for the Utah Jazz in the NBA, another NBA veteran Trent Jackson of Sta.Lucia, played one month for the Milwaukee Bucks in 1989, Hollman Harley of Mama's Love, Joey Johnson of Triple-V, Patrick Thompkins of Swift Hotdogs, Johnny Bell of the returning Burger Machine (formerly Burger City), Dominique Stephens of RC Cola, Melvin Reid of A&W Hamburger, and Richard Morgan of Magnolia Ice Cream.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=c6AVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=AgsEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5141%2C2788821 Imports are main fare in Challenge Cup Manila Standard Imports defections hurt the tournament, first to leave was Crispa's Mark Tillmon, who was replaced by Perry Bromwell,https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=i4YqAAAAIBAJ&sjid=BAsEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3094%2C845489 Crispa brings Swift back to earth Manila Standard then Triple-V's Joey Johnson, who was replaced by Tyrone Pitts. Swift's Patrick Thompkins left the Hotdogs before a playoff with Burger Machine for a semifinal berth.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=i4YqAAAAIBAJ&sjid=BAsEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5156%2C278954 Swift knocks off Burger five Manila Standard Swift later pick a 6-3 Fil-American guard Mateo Caimol, reportedly a two-time MVP for an NCAA Division III school Erskine College of South Carolina, as his replacement. Sta.Lucia's Trent Jackson led the Realtors to a playoff for the second finals berth against Triple-V but decided to leave before the game and the Realtors lost to the Foodmasters, 81–88. Triple-V in only their second conference, joined the ranks of champions by beating the Crispa 400s in the best-of-five finals series, 3 games to 1. The Foodmasters won Game One, behind import Tyrone Pitts, who scored 34 points as against Crispa's Perry Bromwell's only 10 points. In Game Two, Triple-V took a commanding 2–0 lead with a 106–98 victory behind once again on the explosive performance of Pitts, scoring 41 points. Crispa's proud legacy gave them a victory in the third game and avoided a possible sweep. In the title-clinching Game Four, regulation ended at 78-all, and in the extension period with the rule first-to-score seven points, the Foodmasters scored seven points first to win, 85–78, and in the process wrapped up its first championship. Triple-V coach Derrick Pumaren led his second PBL team to a title after numerous championships with Magnolia, the Triple-V roster includes Verne Villarias, Allen Sasan, Jolly Escobar, Arthur Ayson, Ronald Cahanding, Dwight Lago and Django Rivera. TeamGame 1 (July 17)Game 2 (July 20)Game 3 (July 22)Game 4 (July 24)WinsTriple-V 89 106 89 85 3Crispa 83 98 96 78 1VenueLoyola CenterLoyola CenterLoyola CenterLoyola Center References External links www.philippinebasketball.ph 1991 Philippine Basketball League season Category:1991 in Philippine basketball